Ombre’ Strawberry Basque Cheesecake

1. Puree the strawberries and transfer them to a pot.

2. Add the rest of the list 2 ingredients to the pot and simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.

3. Set aside 500 ml of the puree for later use.

4. Add cream cheese, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla paste to a mixing bowl.

5. Crack eggs in another bowl and add them to the cream cheese batter two at a time, mixing well.

6. Add heavy cream and sour cream to the mix and whisk.

7. Sift flour over the mixture and use a hand blender to mix well until lump-free.

8. Strain the batter to remove lumps.

9. Add 2 cups of the cheesecake batter to another bowl and mix with the leftover strawberry puree. Add red gel food color to adjust the color.

10. Prepare the pan by lining it with parchment paper and surrounding it with a wet towel and foil.

11. Pour the white batter into the pan and drizzle the pink batter on top.

12. Transfer to a preheated 410°F oven and bake for 33 minutes. Leave in the oven for 30 minutes with the door open.

13. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.

14. Dissolve the gelatin in cold water, let it swell, then melt it over a Bain Marie.

15. Add the gelatin to the 500 ml strawberry puree and whisk.

16. Pour the mixture over the cooled cake and transfer to the fridge to chill overnight.

17. Unwrap and remove the parchment from the sides, leave the base intact.

18. Cut into slices using a warm knife and serve at room temperature.